


From Letters to Lovers

by orphan_account



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Fluff, Graduation, M/M, Online Romance, Pen Pals, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-25
Updated: 2014-07-25
Packaged: 2018-02-10 09:09:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2019363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim and Leonard are pen pals as children, they grow up and stay in contact—but their friendship turns to something more for Jim. At first Leonard thinks he's too old, and besides, he's already dating someone else. But maybe he can be convinced otherwise. Or, maybe he doesn't have to be convinced at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From Letters to Lovers

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the tumblr prompt: AU where Jim and Bones are childhood pen pals and then progress to following/talking to each other online yet have never met; until he shows up at Jim's graduation.

It all starts when Jim’s almost too young to remember: a seven-year-old Jim Kirk begins exchanging letters with a thirteen-year-old Leonard McCoy as part of this national attempt at an anonymous peer mentoring scheme. Leonard is immediately struck by Jim’s maturity, he doesn’t _sound_ seven, which is pretty impressive given their conversations are solely exchanged through the written word. To be honest, Leonard didn’t even think seven-year-olds could write legibly, let alone coherently. And Jim’s interesting too, and interested. In Leonard, and in everything else the scheme prompts them to talk about.

But, even when the scheme ends when the semester is over, Jim continues to send Leonard letters. It strikes Leonard as odd at first, but he soon gets used to the idea that Jim will be sticking around. They become penpals, and unofficial friends. They write once, sometimes twice, a week, and they send each other small gifts at Christmas. 

Jim doesn’t understand why Winona won’t let him spend a summer in Georgia, but that’s what his mom has said and his mom always knows best. 

So it’s just letters. For years. Letter after letter after letter. 

Until Jim is eleven and he’s able to sneak an hour or two on Sam’s computer—unbeknownst to his brother of course, Jim just hopes he doesn’t get caught. 

Jim knows Leonard’s Skype account by heart: o _nlybones_.

_I hate Sam; he’s becoming such an asshole._

_I was an asshole when I was thirteen._

_No you weren’t._

_Besides, you shouldn’t say asshole, it ain’t polite._

Jim just scoffs—Leonard is the only reason Jim _knows_ the word asshole.

As Jim gets older his internet access grows and soon he and Leonard begin exchanging long emails, instead of letters as well as the skype calls that occur a few times a week. It’s strange to see the way they both change, Leonard’s various teenage phases—some Jim attempts to replicate, others he desperately attempts to forget—and then Leonard starts having  _adult_ phases and Jim is knocked for six. Because before Jim’s eyes Leonard is turning eighteen and moving to college, then turning twenty one and talking about drinking. 

Jim’s still only fifteen. He doesn’t even  _want_ to drink. Not if it makes him act like Uncle Frank. 

On his sixteenth birthday, Jim decides he’s finally old enough, and maybe brave and bold—or stupid—enough, to finally admit he has feelings for Leonard. A crush that is more than a crush but different because they’ve been friends since Jim was seven without ever even meeting face to face. It’s weird and Jim has no frame of reference to try and help him figure himself out.

But he admits it to himself, and that’s okay. He doesn’t admit it to Leonard, though. He’s never going to admit it to Leonard.

That would just be stupid. 

Leonard is twenty-two and he’s dating this girl called Jocelyn. Leonard attached a picture of the two of them in his last email. She’s pretty, like a movie star: absolutely flawless. Jim wants to hate her, but if Leonard’s happy then Jim will just have to get over himself. 

_You seem off, you alright?_

_Yeah, Bones, I’m good. Just uh, just figuring some stuff out._

_What kind of stuff?_

_Crush stuff? I don’t know, it’ll never happen so…_

_Who says it won’t happen?_

_He’s already dating someone._

And then Jim realises what he’s typed. He contemplates amending it, lying and adding  _she*_  but the cat is out of the bag now and he might as well just—

_Doesn’t mean it’ll last forever. Have you talked to this guy much?_

Jim didn’t know what he expected, but complete and utter acceptance wasn’t it. 

_A lot. Like, I’ve known him forever._

_Anyone you’ve ever talked to me about? Maybe I can help?_

_I gotta go, Bones. I’ll talk to you tomorrow._

Jim avoids the computer for almost a week. Leonard has probably worked it out by now and Jim’s life is going to come to an end. Or, at least, their friendship will. 

Until he receives a letter. An honest-to-god, hand-written letter.

_Jim,_

_Avoiding me isn’t going to make me go away. I’m always gonna be here for you. I think I know who you might have been talking about. I’m sorry. I hate to think I’ve hurt you—Joce is important to me, but so are you. I hope you’ll write back when you’re feeling better. It’s only been four days but I miss you. You’ll find someone, Jim. Someone closer in age and distance, and they’ll make you so happy._

_Like us, maybe, but more convenient._

_Anyway, stay safe, kid._

_Leonard._

Jim cries for a little while, at Leonard’s grace and his gentleness. It only makes Jim realise it’s not a crush he feels at all. He’s completely in love with Leonard. With a boy he met through a penpal program when he was in second grade. 

He’s going into his junior year after the summer. He’s almost an adult now. Leonard has been a constant chunk of Jim’s life. He can’t lose that, even if he wants— _craves_ —more. 

Jim logs into Skype a few days later. It’s tentative for a while but it gets back to normal after their first video call. They rekindle their friendship and Jim ignores the sinking feeling of loss. 

Jim is almost eighteen when Leonard breaks up with Jocelyn. 

_I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t be with her and think of you. I’m nearly twenty-four, Jim. I tried not to feel like this about you. You’re supposed to be like a kid brother or something but you’re not. You’re Jim and you’re mine and you always have been._

_I’m such an idiot. I’m so sorry._

It’s another email that leaves Jim in tears. It’s all he’s ever wanted but it’s going to come at a price. 

When he tells Janice and Nyota they’re sceptical. 

"How can he be your boyfriend if you’ve never met?"

"How do you know he’s even real?" 

"Jim, you don’t have to lie to us."

Jim tries not to care, really he does. But his friend’s scepticism only gets worse as the weeks and months draw on. He loves them, but it’s starting to become scathing.

_Hey, Bones?_

_Yeah?_

_Would you come up to Iowa for my graduation? I have to give a speech and there’s prom afterwards and it’s gonna be awful but…_

_Of course I will._

And just as he suspected, on the day of his graduation, Jim is a nervous wreck. 

Not only does he have to give his valedictorian speech, not only does he have to make it onto the stage to receive his diploma without tripping over himself, he has to meet Leonard McCoy in person for the first time. 

 _What if he hates me?_ It’s the most ridiculous thought Jim’s ever had but it still gives him sleepless nights. 

But then he’s there, standing in a sharp navy suit, thin, cherry-red tie, looking suitably windblown and utterly gorgeous and Jim turns to jello. 

"Oh wow," Carol says with a smile. "Is that him?" 

Jim just nods, mouth open like a gawking fish before a goofy smile overtakes his features.  

"I want to date a med-student," Janice whispers. 

"I want to  _be_  a med-student,” Christine says. “There must be some secret hot power that you pick up.” 

Jim ignores them in favour of moving towards Leonard. 

"Bones?" 

"Hey, Jimmy. You did good. You’re great at the whole speech thing." 

Jim ducks his head. “I don’t know, Winona edited it so many times it probably wasn’t even my—”

"Don’t you dare lie to the man, Jim Kirk." Winona is suddenly behind them, faux-glaring. "Leonard," she greets with a strange, familiar smile. "So nice to see you." 

"Ma’am." 

"I’ll leave you two to it for the moment. But I want photos, okay Jim?"

"Yes, mom." 

Leonard chuckles and pulls Jim into an embrace. His body is warm and hard around Jim and Jim decides then and there he might never let go. 

"You’ll have to sooner or later," Leonard whispers and Jim cringes when he realises he’d spoken that thought aloud. "How else am I gonna kiss you?"


End file.
